Frusto-conical container



27, 1953 J. D. KVASNOK ET AL 2,656,969

FRUSTO-CONICAL CONTAINER Filed July 26, 1950 INVENTOR5 JOHN D. KVASNOK, BY EUNYCE M.KVA5NOK,

ALVIN BLUTLER.

Patented Oct. 27, 1953 FRUSTO-CONICAL CONTAINER John D. Kvasnok and Eunyce M. Kvasnok, North Miami, and Alvin B. Cutler, Miami, Fla.

Application July 26, 1950, Serial No. 176,044

1 Claim. 1

Our invention relates to an improvement in collapsible preformed receptacles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a receptacle that is formed from a flat preformed strip of material that is adapted to be rolled to a predetermined contour and detachably connected at its opposite ends by interlocking male and female members formed integral with the strip, the interlocking being of such nature, that the connection may be released and the strip again spread to fiat form to facilitate storing or packing.

Preformed receptacles, such for instance as that type commonly employed as a temporary pot for floral or other plantings, are bulky and require a very considerable space for their storage and, it was with this in mind, that the present invention was designed, whereby the receptacle is stamped from a single fiat blank having interlocking male and female connectors at its opposite ends and also providing a separate shallow pan-like bottom that will nest within the receptacle after it has been formed into a sub stantially frusto-conical form and the male and female members interlock, such form of receptacle adapted to be stacked and stored in a minimum of space and greatly facilitating the packing and shipment from the point of manufacture.

A further object of the invention resides in the extreme simplicity and cheapness of the device and its ability to be used over and over, thus greatly reducing the overall cost of receptacle to the nurserymen.

Other obvious desirable features of the invention will be readily apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein has been shown the preferred examples of the device and wherein like characters of reference are em-- ployed to denote like parts throughout.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a performed flat blank for the receptacle,

Figure 2 is an edge view thereof,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the receptacle as formed from the flat blank and illustrating the initial interlocking of the ends,

Figure 4 is a similar view with the receptacle completely formed and interlocked,

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the complete receptacle,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vert cal section through the receptacle, taken on lme 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a slightly modiiied form of the invention with the receptacle in the initial step of interlocking,

Figure 8 is a similar view with the receptacle completely formed and interlocked and,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary horizontal section, taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the nu meral 5 designates a strip of suitable gauge metal that is capable of being easily rolled and unrolled many times without breaking. The strip 5 is formed arcuate, so that when rolled, will provide a substantially inverted frusto-conical receptacle. The opposite longitudinal edges of the strip are folded upon themselves, as at 5 and T, with the edge 6 being outwardly of the receptacle and the edge 1 being inwardly of the receptacle. The bending of the edges not only reinforce the strip, but remove what would ordinarily be a sharp and dangerous edge likely to injure the hands of the operator. One end 6 of the strip is provided with a plurality of spaced apart 0utwardly tapering tongues, 9, the terminal ends of which are rounded. The opposite end Iii of the strip is provided with a plurality of pairs of spaced apart parallel slots H and I2. The spacing of the sets of slots transversely of the strip is identical to the spacing of the tongues 9. The slots I I having a length equal to the major width of the tongues 9 at their point of junction with the end 8, while the slots I2 have a length equal to the width of the tongues 9 at a point substantially intermediate their length. As clearly shown in Figure l, the sets of slots H and I2 are spaced inwardly from the end I 0 an identical distance which provides an adequate overlap be tween the ends at assembly. The corners of the strip are rounded as shown to remove all sharp points.

In assembling of the device, a blank 5 is selected and rolled to the desired diameter with the ends 8 and ID in overlapping manner. The end 8 lies outwardly of the end i 0. As the ends 8 and H) are brought together, the tongues 9 are simultaneously threaded through the slots II and I 2 to the point where the end 8 abuts the wall of the slots H, at which point the terminal ends of the tongues extend outwardly from the slots [2, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The ends of the tongues are then bent upon themselves to lie fiat upon that area of the strip between the slots H and I2, thus securely locking the ends of the strip together and forming an inverted frusto-conical receptacle open at both ends. Since it becomes necessary to provide a bottom receptacle. After the receptacle has been formed.

and its tongues interlocked in the slots I! and I2, the bottom 13 is dropped into position and rests upon the ledge H, formed by the bending of the edge 1. The receptacle is, now ready for;

planting. To collapse the receptacle, the bottom is first removed, after which the tongues. Si are straightened out and the strip pulled apart and spread flat to be stored for future use.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 7, 3 and 9, a strip l8 has been provided, similar to the strip 5 and has. its edges bent'upon themselves, as in Figures 1 to 6 and for an identical purpose. One end it of the strip is provided with a plurality of spaced apart rectangular slots 20, while the end 2| is out and extruded to form a plurality of outwardly projecting loops 22. The spacing of the loops is identical to the spacing of theslots 2G. The receptacle is formed in a. manner similar to that of Figures 1 to 6, with the ends it and 21 overlapping. In overlapping the ends l9 and 21, the slots 23 are positioned over the loops 22, with the loops projecting beyond the wall of the strip, as shown in Figure 9. After the slots and loops have been interlocked, a pin 23 is passed through the several extended loops, se curely holding the receptacle in assembled position. A bottom similar to the bottom 13 is adapted to engage the ledge formed by the bending of the lower edge of the strip l8. Collapsing of this form of the device will be obvious.

It will be seen from the foregoing, that a very desirable form of collapsible receptacle has been provided. The blanks are cut and shaped to the desired dimensions and are stacked in a minimum of space for subsequent use. The device is extremely cheap to manufacture and will result in a considerable saving in cost of receptacles now commonly used by nurserymen. The device is capable of being formed in various materials, such as paper, cardboard, metal or plastics and enables the device to be used many times when it is formed of a relatively permanent material, such as bendable metal. The disassembling of the receptacle to remove a plant is particularly desirable, since the device can be entirely removed from the soil without disturbing the plant, leaving the plant upright on the bottom piece 13, with little or no injury to the roots. Heretofore, it has been customary to employ various types of cans which must be out apart to remove them from the plants, which action frequently damages the root system. The use of the cans require considerable storage space and unless properly stored, collect water during rains and provide breeding places for mosquitoes. The receptacles of this invention are also desirable due to their neatness and similarity and may be decorated in various colors and stamped with the name or design of the user.

It is to be understood, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown, but that it includes within its purview, whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claim.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An inverted frusto-conical receptacle adapted to be formed from a flat blank strip of material that is arcu'ate in top plan, the top edge of the strip folded outwardly upon itself and the bottom edge. of thestrip. folded inwardly upon itself, one end of the strip provided with a plurality of spaced apart slots: identical in length and in alignment with .each other, the slots being spaced inwardly from the end of the strip, a plurality of companion slots of shorter length spaced inwardly from the first named slots and parallel therewith, the opposite end of the strip provided with a plurality of tongues tapered outwardly from the strip and having their terminal ends rounded, the first named slots having a length corresponding to the greatest width of the tongues and the second named slots having a length equal to the width of the tongues intermediate their length, the tongues being equal in number and spacing to the pairs of slots, the strip adapted to be rolled to cause. its ends to overlap, the tongues adapted to be threaded through the slots during the overlapping of the strip ends with the terminal ends of the tongues projecting beyond the shorter slots at complete forming of the receptacle, the terminal ends of the tongues. then being folded upon themselves; a circular bottom for the receptacle of flat disc form having an upstanding annular and outwardly inclined wall corresponding to the angularity of the receptacle wall, the bottom at assembly being positioned within the lower end of the receptacle with its bottom resting upon the folded edge of the strip and its inclined wall engaging the wall of the receptacle and a drain opening formed in the'disc.

JOHN D. KVASNO-K. EUNYCE M. KVASNOK. ALVIN B. CUTLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 633,524 Marcuse Sept. 19, 1899 686,343 Russel Nov; 12, -1 934,602 Galvin et a1 Sept. 21, 1909 979,261 Compton Dec. 20, 1910 1,057,426 Heyl Apr. 1, 1913 2,004,698 Jonitz June 11, 1935 2,022,601 McDonald Nov. 26, 1935 2,037,675 Boothby et al Apr. 14, 1936 2,053,686 Powell et' al Sept. 8, 1936 2,086,613 Graham July 13, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date;

17,823 Great" Britain A. D. 1904 

